Portuguese Playboy Is Getting Crucified

The Portuguese publishing partners of Playboy are getting crucified for their July issue. Their in-poor-taste cover features a racy pic of Christ cradling a nakey Mary Magdalene type. Inside the issue, there is allegedly a photo spread featuring the lord and savior observing a lesbian kiss.

Playboy Enterprises Inc. is less than thrilled about the JC spread. In fact, they want to sever ties with their Portuguese partners for neglecting to get the controversial cover approved before publication. But the pics of Christ’s res-erection may not have been meant to be exploitative or offensive—they are thought to be a tribute to Portuguese author Jose Saramago who recently passed. His last novel published was The Gospel According to Jesus Christ. So what do you think? Was this cover too blasphemous for publication? [AOL]